Governors Ball 2017

Festival guide

Since its launch in 2011, The Governors Ball has become one of New York’s most celebrated music festivals, famed for its diverse line-ups. This year’s event takes place at Randall’s Island Park between June 2nd and 4th, and is headlined by Chance The Rapper, Phoenix and Tool. Check out our pick of the bill below.

Top picks

Fresh from creating and starring in hit TV show ‘Atlanta’ – and just prior to playing Lando Calrissian in the forthcoming Han Solo 'Star Wars' movie spin-off – the disgustingly-talented Donald Glover found a window to release his third studio album as Childish Gambino back in December. Head to his set on Saturday to hear trippy, psychedelic funk highlights from “Awaken, My Love!” alongside classics from Camp and Because The Internet.

Katy Perry might have only just coined the term “purposeful pop”, but MUNA have been practicing it since their inception in 2013. From LGBT safe space anthem “I Know A Place” and slut-shaming critique “So Special”, to their decision to use gender-neutral pronouns in their songs, the LA-based trio preach tolerance and empathy, and their superb debut About U fuses socially conscious messaging with irresistible electro-pop melodies.

Like Sandy Alex G before him, Will Toledo was a prolific Bandcamp stalwart before being headhunted by one of the world’s most prestigious indie labels. Since signing with Matador, however, things have really blown up, to the extent that there was barely a Best of 2016 round-up that didn’t feature his last LP. Rightly so: Teens of Denial remains one of the best alt-rock albums in recent memory, wrapping cerebral self-loathing in gloriously lo-fi guitar fuzz.